[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 113 (Monday, July 13, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                       Remembering Lindsey Graham

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, my prayers and those of my family are 
with Senator Graham's family, staff, and friends after his sudden, 
sudden passing yesterday. We see the white roses on his desk, and we 
think of Lindsey.
  Senator Graham devoted much of his life to public service--first in 
the military and then in Congress, where he represented South Carolina 
for more than three decades. To the very end, Senator Graham's life was 
defined by public service. He was an important Member of this 
institution and a crucial voice for his constituents in South Carolina.
  For all of our many and vehement disagreements, Senator Graham and I 
still found ways to work together. One of the first things we did 
together was travel to China. We both believed that China was 
manipulating its currency, hurting American exports, hurting American 
jobs, and together we hammered away at that issue.
  At first, neither the left nor the right believed us. Amazingly 
enough, both the New York Times, a liberal publication, and the Wall 
Street Journal, a conservative publication, said there is no such thing 
as currency manipulation, but Graham and I proved to be correct, and we 
took some real efforts over the next few years to stop that 
manipulation and the outflow of American jobs.
  We worked together and hashed out a framework for commonsense, 
comprehensive immigration reform--the so-called Gang of Eight led by 
myself and Senator McCain and with Lindsey Graham as a key member. We 
worked hard. We didn't agree on everything in our bipartisan 
immigration proposal, but we agreed it was worth trying because doing 
nothing was worse. We also found common ground in our effort to aid 
Ukraine after the Russian invasion.
  I know that if Senator Graham were here in the Chamber today, he 
would also join me in urging the Senate to support Ukraine and 
strengthen sanctions on Russia. I urge Senator Thune in honor of 
Lindsey to put the Russia sanctions bill on the floor immediately. It 
will pass overwhelmingly and help our allies in Ukraine.
  Not seeing eye to eye is no reason to be blind to the way forward. 
Lindsey could understand that. Every Senator ought to do the same.